Sosuke Aizen (Shadow Rage)
:"Abandon All Hope." - Shadow Rage Note: The information listed below is a fanwork based on Sōsuke Aizen, and thus, will only be used in works of the author unless permission is given by another user. Sōsuke Aizen (藍染 惣右介, Aizen Sōsuke) is a shinigami and the former captain of the 5th Division in the Gotei 13; he later leaves Soul Society with his followers, Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tōsen. His lieutenant was Momo Hinamori. He was responsible for killing all the members of the Central 46 Chambers and also initiated a full scale war against the Soul Society. After his betrayal was revealed and his plan to retrieve the Hōgyoku from within Rukia Kuchiki was successful, Aizen abandoned his position as a captain of the Gotei 13 and retreated to Hueco Mundo along with his two followers at the time Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tosen. He eventually became the de-facto ruler of Hueco Mundo and established a base within the palace of Las Noches, from where he commanded an army of Arrancar and Hollows. Aizen gathered 10 of the most powerful Menos class hollows within Hueco Mundo and turned them into Arrancar with the help of the Hogyoku. He then united theses powerful Arrancar under one group, they would eventually come to be known as the Espada. He was responsible for much of the conflict during the original bleach storyline because his real intention was to recreate the Ōken (王鍵, King's Key) by destroying Karakura Town, for this reason he became the enemy of Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends, the Vizards , as well as the entire Gotei 13. Aizen disappeared after the conflict with Ichigo Kurosaki and his allies in Karakura town and after many centuries of absence made his return, his current intentions as of yet are unknown. Appearance In Hueco Mundo, Aizen is first seen wearing Arrancar clothes over his Shihakusho. Afterwards, but before his transformation, Aizen wore full clothing similar in style to the Arrancar. Prior to his departure from Soul Society, he appeared as a mild-featured man with brown scholarly hair enhanced by square glasses. He wore the standard Shinigami uniform with a captain's haori. However, during his ascent to Hueco Mundo, he removed his glasses and swept a hand through his hair, revealing menacing eyes and a very different hairstyle (swept back hair, with a strand hanging in his face). As he had previously revealed to Renji Abarai, the Aizen they all knew never existed and this would seem to be a visual representation of that claim. Personality Despite his current villainous status and former position of authority, Aizen is a surprisingly polite, soft-spoken intellectual, often addressing his subordinates by their given names. He rarely shows any sign of alarm or distress and often has entire situations planned out well in advance. Whenever confronted, Aizen is casual and uncaring, attempting to draw out a conversation and make small talk, which often infuriates the one he is talking to. Aizen initially appeared to be a very kind, well-respected captain and was looked up to by many, especially his Lieutenant Momo Hinamori. However, this was just a mask to disguise his manipulative and very dangerous nature. In truth, he cares very little for his underlings (both past and present), and is willing to use almost everyone around him as pawns in his twisted game of chess. In his own words, Aizen claims to be unaffected by any form of morals or ethics as he views them as mere restrictions on his potential. He is, therefore, willing to stop at nothing to further his selfish ambitions, including manipulating or killing anyone if he deems it to be necessary. He is fond of long, complicated, and somewhat convoluted plots, many of which do not have any real reason until he reveals them, and frequently appears to toy with his underlings for amusement. Unlike most of the other Shinigami who appear to have some kind of honor and kindness, including some Espada, Aizen lacks genuine compassion and honor. During his time as a captain, he was known to like tofu, but he disliked boiled eggs. In his free time, he often read and he also gave a special lecture of calligraphy at the Shinigami Academy, given that he excelled in this branch of arts. This optional course was immensely popular among the Shinigami students, and many of them felt great sorrow at Aizen's sudden departure. As the commander of his army of Arrancar, Aizen controls his new minions either through acquired respect or fear. Ulquiorra Cifer, one of his noticeably loyal subordinates, revealed in a conversation with Orihime Inoue that they are all here to further Aizen's ambitions. For more rowdy individuals like Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, he keeps them in line through intimidation and mind games. The Arrancar Aisslinger Wernarr also claims that they follow Aizen because he has no fear, something which beings born from fear and despair find inspiring. Other Arrancar occasionally follow Aizen for reasons unique to themselves, such as Szayel Aporro Granz, who follows Aizen with the hopes that he will eradicate the world of all non-Hollows. To date, the equally manipulative Gin Ichimaru is the only person who seems to be able to see through Aizen's manipulation. Ichimaru has also shown that he has some sense of Aizen's emotions and feelings, correctly identifying that Aizen was enjoying the invasion of Ichigo and his friends and their successes within Las Noches, as well as picking-up on the fact that Aizen had registered the arrival of Hinamori in battle of Fake Karakura Town and was surprised by it. By contrast, Kaname Tōsen has shown no such understanding and has fallen victim to one of Aizen's more minor mind games when Aizen off-handedly manipulated him into punishing Grimmjow for him while Aizen himself kept up his appearance of benevolence. Aizen's true objective is to overthrow the king of the Soul Society. As he and his fellow traitor captains were departing from the Soul Society, he told Jūshirō Ukitake that "no one has stood on the top of the world", not even the gods, but he aspires to "stand in the heavens and end the unbearable vacancy on the world's throne". To do this, he needs the Ōken (王鍵, Royal Key), a tri-pronged golden key that opens a portal to the dimension in which the Spirit King resides. While the location of the key is known only to Captain-Commander Yamamoto, Aizen knows how the original was created and how to manufacture another. To do this, 100,000 souls need to be gathered together (which will kill all the entities used) and vaporize a significant portion of the area used in its forging. His sights are therefore set on Karakura Town, which has an unusually large concentration of spirit particles. According to Kisuke Urahara, since mastering the Hōgyoku, Aizen has become less cautious in battle; noting that before he subdued the device Aizen would not have allowed him to use level 90 Kidō; Aizen admits that his new powers allow him to let his guard down. Also due to this newfound power, he has developed more of a seemingly arrogant attitude, often not even thinking his attacks or defense through anymore like he used to, or even bothering to find out the effects of his opponents' and his own attacks. In his newest form he has also developed a severe superiority complex, believing he is now above both Shinigami and Hollows. Aizen usually maintains complete control of his emotions and is often accompanied by an air of confidence, many of his allies have commented on the fact that most things don't seem to bother him, as he either casually ignores them or doesn’t feel the need to respond, unless it is something that intruiges him. During the battle in Karakura Town with the Gotei 13, most of the Espada were being slaughtered one by one and yet he remained emotionless and nonchalant not sparing even a single word for his fallen allies, Coyote Starrk commented on this fact. Various people have also commented that his very presence is threatening, with a single word he can make those around him become very wary of him, even being such as hollows are terrified of him to the point they would rather join his cause rather than to invoke his wrath. In battle Aizen maintains his composure and will take in every little detail around him into account, he seems to have a habit of making conversation with an opponent in the heat of battle, this is either a way to distract the opponent from finding out his real intentions or a way of provoking them, either way it gives him the perfect opportunity to use their own weaknesses against them. In battle he is absolutely ruthless, he is cunning and manipulative and will use any means necessary to bring down his opponent, even if he has to trick his opponent or use mind games to intimidate or humiliate them. Aizen is a brilliant strategist; during battle he is much more analytical and observant, not making any unnecessary moves until he has fully studied his opponent’s thoughts and movements. Though not one to underestimate an opponent, he prefers to go into battle with much caution and makes preparations well in advance. Even when an enemy may prove to be stronger than him, he doesn't show much surprise or concern. He does not even lose his cool; this shows he has much confidence in his powers and skills, which makes him an extremely dangerous individual. The equally powerful and manipulative Kirei Satoshi has stated that Aizen is the only person in the entire world who is his equal in an intellectual level, and that Aizen’s very presence is a threat to his plans. Touko Sonozaki a scientist and a brilliant inventor was also very much surprised that Aizen was aware of the Hyogoku’s existence and that he had such extensive knowledge about it, which surpassed its current creator’s expertise, although Aizen did wield the original Hyogoku before as such he was bound to know such information. One of Aizen’s most remarkable feat was that he was able to hide himself for many years without raising suspicion from either the Soul Society or Hueco Mundo, it wasn’t until Kirei who had discovered his location that he was found out, even then it was an extremely difficult task and according to Aizen it was because he wanted to be found that Kire was able to locate him. Aizen has great understanding of human emotions as he is able to read them very well, he is able to discern just by looking at his opponent what they are thinking or their emotional state, which he usually uses to his own advantage. Aizen is also seen using a variety of scholarly quotes to illustrate his point of view, and some of his words have hidden meanings behind them. History Not much is known about Aizen's past or his even childhood but it can be assumed that like most other shinigami he too came from the Rukongai district. At some point in time he entered the Shiho Academy and started his training to become a shinigami. Although his intellect and skills were on par with geniuses like Toshiro Hitsugaya and Gin Ichimaru, who finished the 6 year academy curriculum in a short amount of time, Aizen decided to attend the full 6 years rather then finish early and draw too much attention towards himself, as such over the next six years he studied in the Shiho academy. He graduated from the academy at the top of his class excelling in the Kido arts and swordsmanship; even after graduating he continued to develop his skills and overall potential in secret. Aizen later joined the 12th division as a 6th seat officer, at the time Kirio Hikifune was the captain of the 12th division, after sometime Aizen rose through the ranks of the 12th division until finally attaining the position of lieutenant. Aizen served as lieutenant of the 12th division under Captain Kirio Hikifune for several years until he was transferred to the 5th division, Hiyori Sarugaki would later succeed him as lieutenant of the 12th division. While maintaining his cover as a shinigami officer Aizen began his research and experiments on hollowfication, this research would eventually lead him to the creation of his own Hyogoku. At an unknown point in the past, Aizen invested himself in the research and creation of the Hōgyoku even before Kisuke Urahara. To this end, he sacrificed hundreds of Shinigami and hundreds of Rukongai citizens who bore Shinigami talents to his own Hōgyoku. But it was not satisfied with this. He is seen standing in a clearing with three other Shinigami who are kneeling before him by Gin Ichimaru. One of the Shinigami hands Aizen the Hōgyoku. Aizen puts the object in a glass and then hands it back to the Shinigami. Aizen and his subordinates leave an unconscious Rangiku Matsumoto a short distance away. Approximately 110 years ago Aizen was seen making his way to the 5th Division living quarters of his captain, Shinji Hirako. He and Shinji had a discussion about style and trends before they made their way to the promotion ceremony being held at the 1st Division headquarters. As they got there, Aizen witnessed Hiyori Sarugaki attack his captain and the two got into a childish argument. He followed behind while the other captains congregated and had a brief discussion on the status of the Gotei 13. Overhearing Shunsui Kyōraku mention that the previous captain of the Squad 12 was promoted, Aizen interrupted and asked what Kyōraku meant by it. Aizen initially conjectured that the promotion was to Central 46. However, Shunsui explained that it had nothing to do with the Central 46 and that the previous Squad captain Hikifune had been accepted into the Zero Division also known as the Royal Guard. Aizen was left surprised at the revelation. The following night, after Kisuke Urahara's appointment as the new captain of the 12th Division, Shinji had a short talk with him about his new role. While leaving, Shinji asked, "How long do you plan on watching us from over there?" Using his hand, Shinji revealed Aizen concealed behind some form of camouflage. Aizen complimented his captain and asked him when he sensed him there, to which Shinji replied ever since he was in his mother's womb, and ordered Aizen to follow. Aizen noted that won't do at all. Aizen then commented on how scary a person Shinji was, to which Shinji replied that Aizen was the scary one. The very next night, Aizen saw Gin Ichimaru killing the 3rd seat of their division, and informed him that he was impressed by his skill. Aizen then asked him how he found the fight, to which Gin stated he found it pathetic. Aizen with Shinji Hirako, his 5th Division captain. 9 years later, Shinji and Aizen were walking around the Seireitei when they came across Urahara, Hiyori and 3rd Seat Mayuri Kurotsuchi. While Shinji once again engaged in a childish fight and argument with Hiyori, Aizen asked Urahara if he had heard the news to which Urahara told him he hadn't. Shinji proceeded to take up the tale and tell Urahara about the series of strange deaths that had taken place in Rukongai. Shinji also informed him that the 9th Division had been sent to handle the investigation. With the disappearance of the 9th Division, captain-commander Yamamoto called an emergency meeting and assembled a team to investigate. After coming into contact with Hollowfied 9th Division members the investigation team was dispatched by an unseen assailant. Aizen was seen wandering around at night by captain Shunsui Kyōraku and some other Shinigami on guard, while the investigation team was still out searching. It was later revealed that 9th Division 5th seat, Kaname Tōsen, was behind the betrayal of the 9th Division, having stabbed Kensei Muguruma in the back and killed Kasaki, Shinobu Eishima and Todō Gizaeimon, who had accompanied Kensei. He subsequently subdued the team sent to locate the missing 9th Division members using his Bankai. When captain Shinji Hirako of the 5th Division, asked him why he betrayed his captain, he was surprised to be answered by his own lieutenant Aizen, who stated that Tōsen didn't betray anyone and that he is, in fact, very loyal, and he just faithfully followed his orders. Shinji admits he was not as surprised as he seemed to be, and Aizen asked if he suspected him, stating that he had expected that much from his captain. Shinji then explains how he had known something was dangerous about Aizen and that he couldn't be trusted. It was for those reasons that Shinji chose him to be his lieutenant, so that he could keep an eye on him. Aizen told him that he was grateful, as due to his deep seated doubts he didn't suspect a thing. When Shinji states that he already made it known that he had suspected him, Aizen elaborated stating that he didn't realize that for the whole past month, it wasn't him walking behind him. Aizen proceeded to explain the power of his Zanpakutō, Kyōka Suigetsu. Aizen informs Shinji that if he was as close to Aizen as other captains were to their lieutenants he would have been able to see through it by picking up on subtle differences between Aizen himself and Aizen's double. It was his lack of trust that kept them from getting close and as such, allowed Aizen to fool Shinji. He also explains that he could have always refused to be Shinji's lieutenant but decided against that action because his captain's suspiciousness made the position ideal to carry out his plans. Aizen thus laid the blame for Shinji and his comrades' current predicament at the feet of Shinji. Provoked by this, Shinji's anger triggered a speed-up in the Hollowfication process. Aizen thanked him for being so easily provoked and made a note of the observed connection between Hollowfication and agitated emotions. As he got ready to kill Shinji and the others, Kisuke Urahara and Tessai Tsukabishi arrived to stop Aizen from dispatching his captain. Aizen and Urahara had a brief discussion about what was transpiring, with Aizen acting innocent at first until Urahara notes that the investigation team doesn't have simple injuries, but were in fact going through Hollowfication. Aizen commended Urahara on his deduction and revealed himself to be behind the disappearances in the Rukongai. As Aizen had been engaging in early experiments on Shinigami/Hollow hybrids, which involved using an unknown device to cause spirits to transform into Hollows, he was responsible for turning his former captain and seven other Shinigami into Vizard, though Aizen refused to go into any of those details. Aizen proceeded to leave the scene of the crime with his henchmen, stating that "there's nothing more to do there". To stop them from retreating, Tessai performed the Hadō #88, "Hiryugekizokushintenraiho" spell against them, only to be countered by Aizen using Bakudō #81. "Danku", allowing them to escape. Sometime later after the incident with Shinji and his allies, Seigen Suzunami replaced Shinji Hirako as captain of the 5th division, Aizen continued to serve as lieutenant of the 5th division but this time under a new captain, for the next several years he served under Seigen without raising much suspicion from anyone. But like the situation before with his previous captain Seigen too started to suspect something about his lieutenant. Aizen realizing that his captain was on to his research lured the unsuspecting shinigami to a trap, but before Aizen could use the hollowfication virus to subdue the shinigami captain it was Seigen who surprised Aizen as he was full aware of Aizen’s intention to draw him out into a trap, he gained the upper hand during the battle with his lieutenant. Seigen confronted his lieutenant about the inhuman experiments that he was conducting using the citizen's of the Rukongai as well as fellow shinigami as test subjects, Seigen decided to put an end to all of it by taking care of Aizen himself. But unfortunately he was ambushed by Aizen's two other subordinates Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tosen, although he fought against them with all he had but they eventually backed him into a corner, as Aizen was about to deliver the final blow to his captain, Seigen at the last moment was able to escape from his attackers with his life, he disappeared from the scene without a trace. Aizen and his allies were unable to find him, so they decided not to pursue believing that Seigen would not pose a threat to their plans. The news of Seigen’s disappearance reached Soul Society, now the 5th division without a captain, the Central 46 Chambers decided that Sosuke Aizen would take the vacant captain position due to him being a suitable candidate and thus Aizen became the 5th division captain. He continued his research and experiments in secret, with Seigen out of his way he would not have to worry about his plans being discovered and for the next 50 years his ambition and plans would go unnoticed. Some point after the Hollowfication incident, Aizen became Captain of the 5th Division and made Gin his lieutenant. Aizen continued to experiment on Hollows and while testing out a new breed of Menos Hollows capable of concealing their reiatsu, Aizen’s interest was piqued by the then first years Momo Hinamori, Izuru Kira, and Renji Abarai. Realizing their potential, Aizen took them all into his division. While the obedient and loyal Kira and Hinamori became the lieutenants of the 3rd and 5th Divisions under Gin and Aizen, respectively, Renji proved to be too rebellious and was transferred to the 11th Division (later transferring to the 6th to become that squad's lieutenant). Gin and Tōsen later became captains of the 3rd and 9th Divisions, respectively, but remained loyal only to Aizen. According to Aizen, even when Hinamori was his lieutenant, he always thought of Gin as his subordinate. At some point during their captaincy, Aizen, Gin and Tōsen, secretly visited Baraggan Luisenbarn, King of Hueco Mundo and Lord of Las Noches. He and Baraggan engaged in a light conversation and he asked Baraggan to look at his Zanpakutō, he then asked Baraggan if he was happy in his position and if he would join him in a new world where he will be granted more power. Baraggan dismissed this notion stating that there was no power higher than his. Aizen then released his Shikai and showed Baraggan the decimation of his army and subjugating him in turn. Baraggan promised to seek Aizen's destruction for all eternity. About fifteen years ago, Aizen had become aware of the birth of Ichigo Kurosaki. Understanding the significance of his birth, he had decided to aid his development for his plans. To this end, he had Rukia Kuchiki stationed in Karakura Town. He also put into place obstacles that would force Ichigo to grow stronger, including the Hollow that attacked his family and the Menos Grande that appeared when Uryū Ishida used the Hollow bait. Plot Inventions *'Hōgyoku' (崩玉, Crumbling Orb, Viz: "Breakdown Sphere"): Aizen has stated that he arrived at the conclusion of the Hōgyoku before Kisuke Urahara, however, it ended in failure. According to him, in order to finalize the Hōgyoku hundreds of Shinigami souls along with hundreds of Rukongai citizens with Shinigami potential needed to be sacrificed to it, but it still wasn't satisfied. In order to complete it, he stole Urahara's Hōgyoku and presented it to his own, whereby fear is necessary to it's evolution. *'Caja Negación' (反膜の匪 (カハ・ネガシオン), kaha negashion; Spanish for "Negation Box," Japanese for "Anti-Membrane of Negation") : This cube, when used on a subject, traps them in an alternate dimension from which there is no escape; however, this assumes it's being used as intended. More powerful Arrancar, namely the Espada themselves, can escape, given enough time. *'Hollowfication Virus': Produced as a result to Aizen's Hollowfication research, this virus is what gave the Vizard their Hollow powers. This process used seems to spread as some form of possible infection through wounds, that has the desired effects on souls with high-level spiritual energy as compared to souls with low-level spiritual energy, causing those infected great sickness and fatigue, until they vomit up a white liquid that forms the beginnings of their Hollow mask, which then proceeds to transform their bodies and warp their minds. Other than that all that is known is that the process is accelerated by aggressive emotions. The conclusive result makes a Shinigami into a primarily Hollow-like humanoid, which is a highly unstable transformation causing mindlessness and aggression. *'Reiatsu Suppression Ring': A special type of ring that allows one to hid all traces of their spiritual power no matter how big or powerful it is, this ring allowed Aizen to remain in hidden and out of sight for many years, as no one was able to figure out or location his spiritual pressure. This device is also useful for infiltrating an enemy base or can be used to catch an opponent of guard during battle. *'Gigai' (義骸, faux body): An artificial body that allows a Shinigami to remain in the Human World and interact with humans. A Gigai can be used for an extended period, either due to temporary loss of powers or extended missions. In certain circumstances, a Shinigami will need a way to stay in the Human World for long periods of time, interact with the living, and/or recover their powers when the need arises, all of which they can't do in spirit form. Aizen apprently used a Gigai while his stay in the human world, along with the Reiatsu Suppression Ring he was able to blend in the human world without alarming the Soul Society of his presence. *'Soul-Object Integration': A technique originally developed by Urahara to bury matter within a soul. The matter can later be removed by either disintegrating the soul around the object, or it can be removed by breaking down the soul's cohesion and allowing the object to be removed without any damage to the soul. He used this technique to hide the Hōgyoku in Rukia's body, and the latter technique allowed Aizen to remove it from there without killing her. Powers & Abilities High Intellect: Arguably, the most fearsome trait of Aizen is his tremendous intellect. He is well-versed in the history, strategy, tactics of the Soul Society, and is privy to knowledge previously unknown to many, such as the knowledge of the existence of the Ōken , as well as the obscure method in which to make one. He has also created several Hollows and Arrancar while being able to avoid arousing any suspicion from the majority of his fellow Shinigami, most likely due to his Zanpakutō's illusionary abilities. He also, for over 110 years, had been engaging in experiments that involved unique and highly dangerous manipulations of spirit energy and spirit particles. His most startling experiment involves the Hollowfication of Shinigami, something unseen before and still unknown to have ever taken place again. He has an innate knowledge of the Hōgyoku, rivaling that of its creator, Kisuke Urahara, even the extent required for him to destroy it. He is able to figure out Shinji Hirako's Shikai ability's true nature and then deduce that it produces an optical illusion, allowing him to counter its effect. He effectively deduces the true power of the Hōgyoku via trial and error of situations that revolve around it. Master Manipulator: He has shown himself to be a very crafty and cunning man since his public betrayal of the Soul Society. The most noticeable trait is his ability to deceive and manipulate others around them in multiple manners. For years, he was effectively able to convince everyone around him that he was a kind-hearted man with the best intentions for the Soul Society, while performing horrific actions. He has a great talent for analyzing and observing everything in his presence, allowing him to quickly understand a person's pattern of thinking and better manipulate them. He is also a powerful strategist, capable of formulating well-thought-out plans several steps ahead of others. These plans are incredibly involved and detailed, and are planned-out with the long term in mind, making them seem slightly convoluted. His most well known plan spans over 110 years, a great accomplishment given that it required moving people around like pieces on a chessboard, as well as making sure they played the role he had planned out for them. He is masterful when it comes to "plans within plans," such as kidnapping Orihime, allowing him to use her abilities to extend the shelf life of the Hōgyoku, and to trap the Ryoka and 4 Captains after the departure of Gin, Tōsen and himself in Hueco Mundo, making it easier for him to accomplish the ends of his first plan, to create the Ōken and gain access to the Royal Dimension. Master Tactician: He has also shown himself as a powerful and flexible tactician, capable of adjusting seamlessly to any given combat situation, if not plan out events well in advance. He understands the strengths, weaknesses and mannerisms of his enemies and creates strategies to achieve victory; this includes modifying an Arrancar for the sole purpose of defeating Yamamoto, a Shinigami whose abilities surpass his own. Though it can be said that the majority of his tactics rely heavily on his Zanpakutō's special ability, there are few better tactics than manipulating all the senses of your opponents, making it easier for one to attack. Despite viewing his power as worlds beyond others, he is also shown to be highly cautious in battle, placing special protections on himself so as to leave no blind-spots. Kidō Master: Aizen has a great mastery at using Kidō spells. He is skilled enough to use Kidō without the use of their incantation; he used the Black Coffin (ranked 90) spell, and even though he did not control it entirely (utilizing only a third of the spell's original strength), it was sufficient enough to disable fellow Captain Sajin Komamura. He has even used the Splitting Void (ranked 81) spell to block another Kidō attack by Tessai Tsukabishi, who was Captain of the Kidō Corps and reasonably the most proficient Kidō master in the Soul Society at the time, while Aizen himself was only a lieutenant. He can produce powerful protection spells to his person while in battle. Immense Strength: He is powerful enough to stop Ichigo's Bankai with just one index finger (albeit Ichigo was already battle-worn from fighting Byakuya Kuchiki) and almost cut him in half with a single swing of a sword and stopped Renji's Shikai with his bare hand and broke it with one swing, injuring Renji in the process. He was also able to stop Komamura's Shikai with his bare hand, proving his strength was more than enough to combat someone of his same level. Aizen further shows his strength by being able to effortlessly cut through the sword and wrist of Komamura's Bankai. Immense Spiritual Power: Even by captain-level standards, Aizen has shown to have tremendous spiritual energy. Marechiyo Ōmaeda commented that Aizen's very presence is monstrously overwhelming. A hint to his actual level of spirit power is given when he turns Wonderweiss Margera into an Arrancar; before activating the Hōgyoku, and states that despite its half-awakened state, it can be fully activated when temporarily fusing with someone with twice as much spiritual power as an average captain-level Shinigami (referring to himself). The force of Aizen's spiritual power is also great enough to, without any visible effort, bring the 6th Espada to his knees. He has commented that it takes a lot for him not to "crush an ant" (referring to Renji) in his path. He also claims that he is more powerful than all of the Espada. Aizen has shown that his reiatsu is powerful enough to nullify abilities, such as when he negated Soifon's Nigeki Kessatsu technique. Master Swordsmanship Specialist: While the full extent of his prowess has yet to be known, he has demonstrated the ability to effortlessly fight back an opponent's Shikai and Bankai with his own blade still sealed. He has also demonstrated the ability to perform tremendously powerful and precise strikes, capable of cutting through very sturdy targets, such as Renji's Shikai. He was also able to easily cut down four captains (two which used their Bankai) and four Vizard (with three being former captains of Gotei 13) with ease. Flash Steps Master: He is perceived to be so fast that one cannot discern even being attacked by him until after it has taken place. Aizen is shown to easily outmaneuver Ichigo's Bankai and Hollow mask-enhanced speed to the point he could casually lay a hand on his chest and still dodge a point-blank attack. He is capable of effortlessly dodging simultaneous attacks at close range and the evasion of Bankai level techniques. He moves so fast that opponents commonly do not know his movements until after he has made them and is skilled enough in his movements to evade at high speeds even when being attacked from behind. It's questionable if he is as fast as Yoruichi Shihōin or Soifon, especially seeing as they both caught him before he was able to unsheathe his sword to engage in battle before his escape from the Soul Society. Master Hand-to-Hand Combatant: While preferring to finish his fights quickly with his Zanpakutō or Kidō, Aizen is a highly capable fighter unarmed as well. Repeatedly, Aizen has shown himself able to effortlessly catch his opponent's weapons barehanded. While fighting offensively, he has shown tremendous agility and dexterity, able to combine both sword and barehanded skills to simultaneously strike with his sword and kick opponents with great force. Zanpakutō Kyōka Suigetsu (鏡花水月, Mirror Flower, Water Moon): In its sealed form, it resembles a normal katana. The only decoration is the tsuba, which is a hexagon instead of a rectangle. The two sides parallel to the blade are long, whereas the four sides above and below the blade are shortened, making it into almost a diamond or prism-like shape. It has a green handle. *'Shikai': The release command is "Shatter" (砕けろ, kudakero) and is used to both activate and deactivate it. The name Kyōka Suigetsu hints at its illusionary properties; the moon reflected in water and a flower in a mirror are things that can be seen but not held. It is a Chinese saying for seeing and desiring something that is a dream that cannot be easily grasped in hand, teaching people about temptations. :Shikai Special Ability: Kyōka Suigetsu's Shikai ability is Kanzen Saimin (完全催眠, Complete Hypnosis). It controls the five senses to the point that it can make the target misinterpret another person's form, shape, mass, feel and smell to be that of the enemy. The initiation condition for the hypnosis is to show the enemy the release of Kyōka Suigetsu. After seeing it just once, that person will completely succumb to the hypnosis. After that, every time it is released, that person will fall under the thrall of the hypnosis. The hypnosis is apparently long-lasting, seeing as the Vizard are still affected by Kyōka Suigetsu even though they were hypnotized at least 110 years ago. Since the spell works when you see the ritual, those who cannot see are consequently immune to the hypnosis. When he turns off the hypnosis by force of will, the image shown melts away/shatters. Kyōka Suigetsu's Complete Hypnosis is absolutely flawless; even if the target is aware that they are under the hypnosis, they cannot resist its influence. Kyōka Suigetsu's hypnotic abilities make it a highly useful tool in combat, as Aizen can quickly create simple or complex illusions to deceive opponents. For example, by creating a decoy of himself, or other illusions to distract his opponents, Aizen can hide his own movements and attack with impunity. His opponent, meanwhile, will remain focused on the illusion until it's too late to react. :While the illusions Kyōka Suigetsu creates are quite powerful, those with considerable power and skill themselves may be able to note slight differences in the illusions compared to the real thing, even if they are not able to determine what, precisely, is different. Captain Retsu Unohana was able to detect something was amiss with Aizen's fake corpse, even though she did not realize what until seeing Aizen alive. Kyōka Suigetsu's reiatsu gives it away to those keen enough to sense its actual presence past the illusions created by its complete hypnosis. Gin reveals that the sole way to escape Kyōka Suigetsu's ability is by touching the blade itself before complete hypnosis is activated. *'Bankai': Never Achieved. Hōgyoku Implantation Protective Regeneration: By embedding the Hōgyoku into his chest, it has been demonstrated to actively protect Aizen by healing his injuries almost instantly. Aizen was able to take a point-blank level 96 destruction spell and escape only suffering slight burns. Immediately following that, he took a point-blank mask-enhanced black Getsuga Tenshō and survived the attack. He can come out unfazed after being hurled into several buildings. Strength Augmentation: Aizen's already considerable strength is further enhanced by the Hogyoku's evolution of his body. He is able to easily strike through a target's flesh with a single nonchalant sweep of his bare hands. Durability Augmentation: Aizen's durability is further enhanced due to the Hōgyoku's evolution of his body. Because of this, he can withstand a level 91 destruction spell without suffering any damage. Trivia *Aizen's Kyōka Suigetsu came 18th in the Zanpakutō popularity poll. He himself came 23rd in the 4th, the latest, character popularity poll. Quotes * (To Tōshirō Hitsugaya)"You should learn this well, Hitsugaya-kun. Admiration is the emotion furthest from understanding." * (To Renji Abarai)"The Sōsuke Aizen you knew...never existed to begin with." * (To Jūshirō Ukitake) "No one stands on the top of the world. Not you, not me, not even gods. But the unbearable vacancy of the throne in the sky is over. From now on...I will be sitting on it." * "The betrayal you can see is trivial. What is truly fearsome, is the betrayal that you don't see, Captain Hirako." * (To Tia Harribel indirectly) "I never would've imagined that the power of the Espada I so painstakingly assembled would be less than mine alone" * (To Shinji Hirako) "Trusting in someone is the same as depending on them. That is something the weak do. We have no use for it." * (To Shinji Hirako) "All living creatures place their faith in someone more powerful than them and they cannot survive unless they blindly follow that person. The recipient of that faith then seeks out someone in an even higher position in order to escape from the pressure. That person than seeks out someone even more powerful that he must put his faith in. In this way all kings are born and in this way all Gods are born. Do not believe in me yet, Hirako Shinji for now I shall slowly teach you who the God is that you will put your faith in. Believing in me comes after that." * (To Ichigo Kurosaki) "Why are you putting so much distance between us? If you want to make sure it hits me, then you should get close and fire. Or is it that you're afraid of letting even a part of me out of your field of vision by getting close? If that's the case, then it's a foolish thought. Distance only has meaning in a fight between equals. With you and I, distance holds no meaning at all. Watch... If I do this, my hand is almost instantly at your heart." * (To Sajin Komamura) "You thought you could destroy me by striking with power? How naïve. ...no perhaps we differ in our basic understandings of the word "power". I shall enlighten you. This is what is known as "power". * "I will not take your lives. With the measure of power that you possess you are unlikely even to lose consciousness from those wounds. Stay there, helpless and defeated and observe carefully as this battle reaches its conclusion." * (To Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto) "Your Ryūjin Jakka is indeed the most powerful Zanpakutō in existence. There is no doubt about that. Were I to fight against it directly, it would likely overpower even me. However, if one abandons all other abilities and focuses his strength entirely on a single specialized skill, then he can overcome even the greatest of powers." * (To Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto) "Cruel? A soul that's become a Hollow has no purpose. It does nothing more than meaninglessly hunt down souls to prey on. What is so cruel about granting meaning to such an existence? I would say that you're the one who's cruel for smashing that soul to pieces." * (To Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto) "To you, I will not say "I will not kill you". You who are the very history of Soul Society itself and as such, you alone will die by my sword." * (To Ichigo Kurosaki) "I suppose it is only to be expected. You have my pity. There is no such thing as 'truth' or 'lies' in this world; there never has been. There is only plain, hard facts. And yet, all beings who exist in this world take only those 'facts' that are convenient to them, and take them to be the 'truth'. They do so because they know no other way to live. However, for those powerless beings that make up the majority of this world it is those 'facts' that are inconvenient for their own self-affirmation that make up the real 'truth'." * (To Isshin Kurosaki) "...But living creatures are strange. They are made in such a way that they can actualize only what their minuscule minds wish for." * (To Kisuke Urahara) "Allow me to be careless, as I don't have the need not to be. I can feel the strength of the Hōgyoku in my body. My strength exceeds my older self. I'm now invincible so I don't have the need to dodge a level 90 Kidō anymore." * (To Gin Ichimaru) "Reason exists for those who cannot go on living without clinging to it. Now let's go... to the edge of reason." * (To Gin Ichimaru) "Fear is necessary for evolution. The fear that one could be destroyed at any moment. Thank you, Gin. Thanks to your efforts, I have finally risen to an existence that surpasses both Shinigami and Hollow." Category:Shinigami Category:Male